Counter-drone turret with Gatling gun: Valhalla Turrets develops new Skythunder version

The Slovenian company Valhalla Turrets has developed a new version of its Skythunder air defence turret, designed for counter-drone defence. Its equipment includes a Gatling gun and laser-guided rockets. According to the manufacturer, the impetus came from growing threats from the air and the need to protect critical infrastructure.

According to Slovenian media reports, the powerful cannon and guided rockets are complemented by advanced radar technology. The M197 Gatling gun and the laser-guided 70-millimetre rockets are mounted on an Oshkosh 6×6 chassis; the aim is to create a layered, cost-efficient defence against drones. The daily newspaper Večer puts the weight of the cannon at around 60 kilograms, its rate of fire at up to 1,500 rounds per minute and its maximum effective range at around two kilometres.

The M-197 Gatling gun itself is even more interesting: the 20-millimetre three-barrel cannon is installed, for example, in helicopters of the AH-1 Cobra family. This also includes the AH-1Z Viper, for which the manufacturer Bell has proposed production in Ukraine. The cannon is also used on other platforms, for example in the GPU-2/A gun pod.

The Skythunder system is also based on the Mangart 25 weapon turret. Its first prototypes went to Ukraine, where the Ukrainian military tested them under real combat conditions. Even before that, the developers had used this technology in the Wolf 25 air defence system, a joint development with the Slovak defence company Deftech.

As experience from the battlefield in Ukraine shows, destroying low-cost drones with expensive interceptor missiles places an excessive financial burden on armed forces. Accordingly, they are urgently looking for cheaper solutions.

Layered counter-drone defence

Valhalla Turrets announced on social media that the system will reach the market very soon. The images published there show the advanced turret mounted on an Oshkosh 6×6 chassis. This belongs to the US Army's “Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles” (FMTV) – the platform that the Himars rocket launcher also uses.

With the laser-guided 70-millimetre rockets, the system can engage precisely at greater distances, against targets beyond the effective range of the Gatling gun. This creates a layered kinetic effect on the battlefield across different ranges. In addition, comprehensive radar coverage and a sensor suite ensure that approaching targets are detected, identified and continuously tracked; the system can be integrated seamlessly into higher-level, layered air defence networks.

Valhalla stresses that the system is fully mobile, flexible and modular. Above all, it is intended to provide cost-efficient air defence against large numbers of drones and unmanned aircraft systems of all kinds. The family of systems presented at the beginning of this year thus gains a lighter, more efficient and more accessible option.

Because American components are installed, there is speculation that the company is seeking contracts from the US Department of Defense for its Skythunder system. The United States is actively looking for solutions with which it can defend itself against small, slow-flying drones at low altitude.

Valhalla Turrets specialises in the development of remote weapon stations. Together with the Croatian manufacturer Dok-ing, the company has already successfully presented a robotic counter-drone system. An even more powerful version, the Skythunder 300, was on show at the most recent military technology fair, Eurosatory. It is equipped with a 30-millimetre automatic cannon and an additional turret with a six-barrel machine gun. Valhalla is also an important development partner for major European defence companies. In August, General Dynamics European Land Systems installed a turret made by Valhalla in the Ascod tracked combat vehicle.